Chinese Premier Li Qiang landed in Wellington on Thursday (Jun 13) to launch a tour of New Zealand and Australia, a trip focused on trade against a backdrop of heightened geopolitical tensions.
Second only to President Xi Jinping in China’s political hierarchy, Li is the most senior figure to arrive on official business in either nation since 2017.
A small crowd of supporters greeted Li’s motorcade as it pulled out of Wellington Airport in New Zealand’s capital, banging drums, cheering and waving red-and-gold banners.
The visit starts with a ceremonial welcome at stately Government House, before a formal dinner in the residence’s ballroom in the evening.
Over six days Li will set foot in five different cities, meet two prime ministers, hold talks with a string of business leaders, and embark on China’s trademark “Panda diplomacy”.
China’s relationship with both hosts has shifted drastically in the seven years since Li’s predecessor toured Down Under.
New Zealand, long seen as one of China’s closest partners in the region, has become increasingly bold in its criticism of Beijing’s role in the South Pacific.
